Bottle cap



1960 H. c. FITZ, JR 2,949,205

BOTTLE CAP Filed Sept. '2, 195

4,,llllllllllll a a INVENTOR H. a Izzy,

BY huh. 7 9% My? ATTORNEYS tes atent Patented Aug. 16, 1960 BOTTLE CAPHarold C. Fitz, '.lr., Albuquerque, N. Mex. (139 Valley Road,Charlottesville, Va.)

Filed Sept. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 758,332

3 Claims. (Cl. 215-45) the contents may be kept in prime condition untilsuch contents are completely exhausted from the container.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bottle cap which willavoid crimping the flange of the cap below the upper lip of the bottleto effect sealing which, in the prior art, necessitates the destructionof the cap incident to its removal from the bottle so that it is notreplaceable to effectually re-seal the bottle after it has once beenremoved; the purpose of the invention in this respect being to provide apermanent type of cap Which will not involve destruction in its removaland which may be replaced on the bottle neck in a manner to reseal thecontainer just as effectively as the original cap placed thereupon atthe factory.

It is a further object and purpose of the invention to achieve theforegoing advantages in a bottle cap which will be of economicalconstruction lending itself to ready operation in its application to andremoval from the bottle neck and which when in place will form a highlyefiective seal against the escape of any liquids or gases from thecontainer. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

2 Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bottle neck of aconventional form having applied thereto in sealing position a bottlecap constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustratedpartly broken away and partly in section;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the bottle cap in itsorigin position before application to the bottle;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the sealing capwhich is one member of the present invention and showing the skirtthereof in an outwardly flared or expanded condition;

Figure 4 is an isometric view ofthe sealing cap apart from the othermembers of the invention;

FigureS is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on anenlarged scale through a portion of the sealing cap showing a method ofretaining the sealing gasket in place;

Figure 6 is a similar view showing a modified fo'rm of holding means forthe sealing gasket;

Figure 7 is an isometric view of a form of resilient metal ringemployed, and

Figure 8 is an isometric view of a form of sealing gasket with partsbroken away and parts shown in section.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in Figure l a'bottle neck10 is illustrated as having the usual top lip 11, the circular bead 12spaced below the same with an annular groove 13 therebetween. Aconventional model cap, widely in use today, is provided with a flangewhich is crimped into the groove 13 or at least crimped below the toplip 11. The bottle neck illustrated is a conventional form in whichcarbonated beverages are being marketed. V

The invention comprises a sealing cap, illustrated more particularly inFigures 3 and 4, and an operating cap, i1-

lustrated in Figures 1 and 2, as being relatively movable with respectto the sealing cap; and in addition the invention also comprises thedevices shown in Figures 7 and 8.

The sealing cap is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 and isconstructed generally of a cylindrical side wall 14, a flat top wall 15and a skirt 20, later more particularly described.

A flange 16 outstands from the side wall 14 in spaced relation below thedisc top Wall 15. Such flange 16 forms a top shoulder 17 and an undershoulder 18. Below the shoulder 18 is an external concentric surface 19and belowthis surface extends the outwardly and downwardly flaring skirt20 which is sectionalized by making incisions 21 parallel with the axisof the sealing cap. Such incisions opening through the lower end of theskirt and extending up approximately to the adjacent end of the externalconcentric surface 19, this latter surface being concentric throughoutits depth with the axis of the sealing cap. The incisions 21 divide theskirt into segments 22. As the skirt, and preferably the entire sealingcap, is made from elastic material the segments 22 can be outwardlysprung in the manner shown in Figures 3 and 4 which opens gaps betweenthe segments 22 at the incisions 21 and also provides externally flaringsegment walls extending downwardly and outwardly of the sealing cap. Inother words, the segments 22 are biased to an outsprung position but thesame may be distorted from this-position into the straight linepositions of Figures 1 and 5. r a V e The outwardly and downwardlyflaring external segment walls are indicated at 23 and at 24 are showninternal claws positioned at the lower end portions of the segments 22so as to enter the groove 13 of the bottle neck orrclamp below thebottle lip 11. n

An annular recess 25 is made in the base of the sid wall 14 to receive aring gasket 26, which, as shown in Figure 5, may be retained in therecess 25 by an annular resilient claw 27 Alternatively, as shown inFigure 6, a modified form of compressible or resilient gasket 26 isprovided with an internal. circular projection 28 adapted to enter agroove 29 which runs annularly around in the internal wall 30 of therecess 25. Obviously other cross sec tions of gasket and other retainingmeans therefor may be provided.

The operator cap 31 is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and is slidable axiallyon the sealing cap. This operator cap is formed with a side wall 32 anda top wall 33. Spaced below the top wall 33 is an internal circularflange 34 which, in assembled position with the sealing cap, has itsinner surface fitted to ride up and down on the external surface of theside wall 14 of the sealing cap (see the two positions represented inFigures 1 and 2);

Spaced below the internal flange 34 is an internal an: nular cam ring35. At its upper portion this cam ring 35 is at its smallest diameter,such cam ring involving also the downwardly and outwardly flaring earnsurface 36 which extends down to a point terminating just short of thelower end of the operating cap where the cap terminates in an internalannular flange 37 which protects the lower portion of the sealing capfrom being pushed unintentionally upward when the cap is not in use.Flange 37 also serves to insure that the lip of the bottle is centeredproperly when the assembly is placed on the bottle.

At the upper end of the cam ring 35 is an internal annular shoulder 38for engaging the under surface 18 of the flange 16 of the sealing cap,as shown in Figure 2. These shoulders 18, 33 together form complementallimit stops to also limit theupward relative sliding-move ment of theoperating cap upon the sealing'cap.

Between the circular flange 34 and the circular cam ring 35, acylindrical internal wall section-43"is p'rovided' to slide smoothly upand down onthe-outer cylindrical surface of theflange 16 of the sealingcap. Thus, the bearings providedbythe internalcircular flange 34-ridingup and downonthe external surface of the wall 14 and a cylindricalinternal Wallsection 43 riding up-"and down on the external smoothsurface of the flange 16 stabilize the operating cap in its'axial-movements relatively to the sealing cap.

It will be observed, particularly from Figures 1 and 2, that the outerwall section above the internal flange 34 flares upwardly andoutwardly'asindicated at 39for the purpose of atfording a grip to thefingersto exert liftingthrust upon the operating cap.

As shown more particularly in Figures" l, 2 and 7, a spring metal ring40 is provided with downwardly curled spring fingers 41 having free ends42. The ring 40 is adapted to be fitted close'against the internalsurface of the top wall 33 of the operating cap' with the curled springfingers 41 depending therefrom to be contained between the walls 14 and32 of the sealing and operating caps: Unassembled, these curled springfin"- gers 4-1 may be' substantially circular'with a diameter somewhatin excess of the radial distance across" between the walls 14 and 32 sothat on assembly. the'fingers will be elastically stressed between thesewalls and consequently distorted into a modified elliptical formincluding a lower constricted'part'fl which is adapted to rest upon theinternal flange 34 and the outer and inner flanges 41 and 41.

As to materials, the sealing capmay be made from a flexible resilientplastic and the operating cap from a rigid plastic molded originally intwo or more sections and united diametrically upon the included sealingcap, the sections-being afterwardscementedor fused together inwell-known plastic technique.

The ring 40 is preferably of metal including the curled spring fingers,but it isconceivable that this also may be made from a polyethylene orsimilar flexible and resilient plastic. The gasket 26 will preferably beof rubher and will protrude below its recess 25 for a sufiicientdistance to admit of its compression downwardly against the bottle lip11.

In the use of the device, the parts will normally be in the position ofFigure 2, that is, the operating cap will be raised to its uppermostposition whereby the cam ring 35 will be withdrawn upwardly from theskirt 20 of the sealing cap. In this position the diametrically widerlower portion of the camsurface 36 is concentrically outward of thesegments 22 of the skirt 20 so that no restraint is put thereby upon thesegments 22 which are allowed to expand freely under their own inherentelasticity into' the space provided by the lower internal portion of theoperating cap. In this'position of Figure 2, the stops 18, 38 preventdismemberment of the two caps. In rising the internal flange 34 haspushed upwardly therewith the ring 40 and its spring fingers 41 byengagement with the constricted lower portions 41 of these fingers. Inthe uppermost position of Figure 2, it will also be seen that the innerflanges 41 have risen to a large extent above the confines of the wall14 and have therefore expanded at their upper free portions where they,at least to a slight extent, overlap the top wall 15. By reason of theirinherent elasticity, these fingers tend to expand diametrically and theyexert considerable elastic thrust against the internal surface of theoperating cap side wall and also against the upper edge or cornerbetween the walls 14 and 15 of the sealing cap. This spring tension mustbe overcome in forcing the operating cap downwardly upon the sealingcap.

In the condition of Figure 2, the device is applied to the bottle neckwith the gasket 26 engaging the lip 11. As the sealing cap becomesarrested in movement by this engagement of the sealing gasket 26 uponthe bottle lip 11, continuance of the thrust downwardly upon the topwall 33 of the' operating cap will cause the elastic tension of thespring fingers to be overcome and allow the operating cap to descendrelatively and axially upon the sealing cap; in this action, the innerflanges 41 being compressed towardthe outer flanges 41 and thus thefingers are placedunder still greater tension. Also, in thedescending-movement of the operating cap, the bowed or convex surfacesof the inner flanges l-l will be brought into more-extensive frictionalengagement with the outer surface of the side wall 14 of the sealingcap. Thus, increasing frictional and elastic action will be brought tobear which must be overcome in the effort to push the operating capdownwardlywhich is done until the internal flange34 strikes the shoulder17. During the course of this movement the internal cam ring 35 hasproceeded downwardlyover the outwardly flaring surfaces 23 of theoutsprung segments" 22- of the skirt 20, forcing the segments 22inwardly to close thegaps at 21 and form a substantially continuousinternal flange or claw 24 which has been forcedinto the groove 13or-below the lip 11. It will be understood that these actions can onlybe achieved by such downward thrust as will elastically stress andphysically distort the ring gasket 26 so as to form a tight seal allaround against the upperlip 11 of the bottle neck 10.

In removing the cap, the fingers are applied to the external wallsurfa'ce'39 and the operating cap 31 pulled upwardly while the claws 24retain the sealing cap against movement. As the operating cap risesrelatively, the cam ring 35 will be shifted above the concentric line ofthe segments 22 enabling these segments toexpand and Withdraw the claws24 from binding engagement with the bottle neck. In the same movementthe sealing cap will be entrained. with the operating cap'when theshoulders 38, 18 engage one' another and therefore in the same movementthe sealing cap'may be lifted ed the bottle.

The sealing cap of this invention will'therefore seal the bottle withcomplete effectiveness and it will be positively locked on the bottleand cannot be blown off by the pressure of the gas in the bottle. Thesealing cap is easily applied to the bottle. Only one motion is requiredto place' the bottle cap in position. This motion is simply pushing onthe operating cap on the top of the bottle. Very little force isrequired in the original capping or subsequent re-capping operations.

The device is of inexpensive materials and the manufacture is notcomplicated No essential parts of the sealing or operating mechanism arein the center of the cap and it is thus easy to adapt the device. toincorporate a Syphon device to remove the beverage without removing thecap. In this connection, it will be noted particularly. from Figure 7that the ringvform of the. spring device 40 leaves the entire center ofthe device open to receive a syphon" therethrough.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known tome at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications andchanges as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle cap comprising a sealing cap having a sealing means and anormally outsprung holding means, an operating cap slidable relativelyto the sealing cap and having a part to slide over and compress theholding means, and spring fingers fitted under compression between thetwo caps to develop frictional and elastic resistance to the relativemovement of the caps.

2. A bottle cap as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an internalflange on the operating cap upon which the spring fingers are seated.

3. A bottle cap as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means forcausing the spring fingers to move 6 with the operating cap, saidfingers having inner and outer flanges with the inner flanges sliding upand down on the external wall of the sealing cap and in the outerposition of the operating cap said inner flanges adapted to expandinwardly in the space above the wall of the sealing cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,339,343 Magnesen Jan. 18, 1944 2,865,525 Satz Dec. 23, 1958 FOREIGNPATENTS 128,095 Austria May 10, 1932

